TPF at Burning Man in 2007?

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

This is coming from left field and 99.99% of you have never heard of this event out in the high desert of Nevada but it is a photographers dream shoot.

http://www.burningman.com/

There is ART, there are PEOPLE, there are ART CARS (Mutant Vehicles), there is DANCING, there is PARTYING, there is all sorts of Background Scenery etc.

YOU CAN BRING IN MODELS and do any type of shoot that you want, including birthday suit!

If we have a theme camp some of us can get in early, before the official Sunday opening. There is no extra cost to have a theme camp other than doing the theme. Low Wattage Radio Stations are allowed so you can contact the FCC and get the clearance and the freq, this area is so remote that there are less than a handful of stations on the FM radio anyway. So you can broadcast locations to all if they have an FM radio with them for the days itineraries and the rest of the time broadcast whatever you want over the air since your range won't get you outside of BM there is no problem with "Community Standards".

So if we had say 20 TPFers from across the state interested in this (and from elsewhere around the globe) the cost other than the ticket to get in *each person buys there way in, the cost of the camp would not be that high.
Camp set up: Renting a power generator-need to keep the batteries charged and if someone brings a projector to project images at night and to run a few lights at night for a while. Also to power any studio flash systems brought out.
Some PVC pipe bent to make a tent type structure with tarps over same for some large shade (could also be parachutes used for cover). The pipe would then be donated to BM organization itself- would be bought in Nevada- or some non-profit group in the area that would be able to reuse it. (cost would be under $100 for the pipe).
Also some sort of decoration/plywood done up. For ideas you can see some of my BM shots from last year
http://www.pbase.com/demdeepellummus...ing_man_events just look at the theme camps.

Also some food for the models that the group brings in.

Now our biggest cost as a group would be for the models. We would have to pay for their entry unless they want to cover at least part of that cost themselves because they wanted to go do a BM shoot. Transportation out there (they could fly in during the week to Reno and someone would just drive out to get them) Food for them and supplying some tent space for them and them having the time available to attend. That is why planning well ahead could get us some great models. Also doesn't mean that some of the attendies may just not voluntear themselves. (Bring MODEL RELEASES)

Now the art is completely different from year to year and many installations are burned at night on Fri, Sat (the Man Himself) and Sunday (usually the Temple) and other items which could avail themselves of some great photo ops.

Night time is just as crazy as day time!!!!!

When I went last year I saw at least one pro with a model shooting.

We could also incorporate into the theme GET SHOT BY A TEXAN where people just come by and have their photo taken and we would e-mail them their pic after the event. (Media Mecca Had a hot spot last year and I believe from now on so we could actually send the photos daily to the various e-mail accounts for them or put them in a password protected album).

This is just a thought but could be a Photographic Op of a Lifetime and it is one great big PARTY!!!!!!

So any comments welcome.

If no TPFers are interested in doing their own theme camp or bringing models in there is a group called the Damn F$%^ing Texans that run a theme camp every year.

IF TPFers are interested we would need to inform the BM orginization by late January as to our Theme Camp and idea so that we can get an assigned space. Also the person count and vehicle count.

If say there were a group from Houston coming up and say 4 are driving in and say 4 are flying in the first 4 could maybe arrange to bring in the second 4's camping gear and then pick them up in Reno (vegas is just a bit too far to drive to). Same with Dallas/ Austin/San Antonio.

If anyone is a pilot with their own plane BM actually has it's own airport for small aircraft to fly into on the edge of the camp. So maybe some areal photography?

This is just an idea but it is best to get the ball rolling now since we have such a diverse group across the state.

BTW this isn't just a young persons event, I bet when I went last year that I met or saw several hundred people in their 60's or older having fun.

If you have a big old RV they are out there too! There also is a kids camp where families set up with their little ones.

So think about it.

[johnastovall]

What! Are there people out there who don't know about Burning Man? I thought everyone who was the least bit wired in knew about it?

I'm a 61 year old geek and know about and follow it on the web.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Only bad thing about it is that it is so freaking far away! (about 1,800 miles from Dallas).

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

Only bad thing about it is that it is so freaking far away! (about 1,800 miles from Dallas).

That's why I follow on the Web but would like to go there for one some time.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

2007 could be the year! Hey if things had to be done a certain way we could probably get arrangements with someone in Reno to ship camping gear to an address by UPS/Fed Ex Ground/US Mail and then have people flying in and then some that do drive in running into Reno to get them and then take them back on Monday (labor day) though traffic is a bear that day. (just be sure to get a late flight out back to Texas).

That is the reason that I posted this idea this early, a lot of logisitics to get people in.

Well I'm off to shoot the trail drive.

[adirty1]

biggest problem is dust and sand. it get's into everything.

keep me posted i would like to here more as things develope.

[lscottpht]

I've been wanting to go to Burning Man, but I'm not really interested in doing model stuff there, so I can't justify a cost for that. If you guys go, and decide against models, let me know, and I might do it. Don't get me wrong, the models sounds like a great idea, but just not something that I care to do or spend money on.

[Steelsun]

There is (was) a local Texas version held near Dripping Springs for the past few years, but it got all political and favoritismed in that many of the "fun" groups are now boycotting it.

We could always hold our own in Texas...

[Charles Putnam]

I knew several people (when I lived in Kalifornia) that went to it. Let's just say it's not for the prudish (of which I apply). It's also out in the middle of the friggin' desert. It's desolate...

[Daniel Bates]

I've heard of it, but I don't really know what it is. And I'm a college kid...

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

OK dust can be a problem with P+S's but a good pro camera is usually fine out there. It is on an ancient lake bed that is a giant gypsum field so the dust is microscopic. When I shot 2 years ago with my digital cameras I had no problem other than cleaning the outside of the bodies. (Just change lenses INSIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE, NEVER IN THE FIELD UNLESS IT IS DEAD CALM FOR MANY HOURS- One night that was calm I shot a spot light into the sky and you could see all the dust.

As to the model thing that was just and idea to toss up into the air, not a necessary part of the thing or if anyone knows of a "model" type that just wants to go and hang with friends that would be cool.

Oh there is public nudity but "sex" is only inside ones vehicle/tent/camp public displays of sex are fround on now.

There is a big bike ride around the man where women get on their bikes and ride in all states of clothing attire to birthday suits.

As to Texas there are two Burns one west of Austin that is called Flipside and it is in the spring on one weekend. Last year it moved to a new location and they had restricted ticket sales. The second is around Columbus Day and it is called Myschevia and this year it was near Paris Texas last year it was near Abilene. Both of these are just 3 day weekend events that cost under $50 per ticket.

Burning Man itself has several ticket price levels depending on when you get your ticket. The lowest priced tickets sold out in under 2 days last year.

I will try to answer as many questions that I can, also refer to the weblink above.

If a Dallas group went you can drive hard and get to Albequerque area in one day and then the next day be in Vegas and then the third day get to the MAN site.
Here is a link to the BLM district office that is over the BM location
http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Here is a topo map of the area
http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/recreation/north.pdf (takes a while to load)
The site is where it says Black Rock and that is why BM is called Black Rock City.

BTW they do sell Ice and Coffee at the Man, that is all that is SOLD at BM everything else inside is a gifting economy.

There are MUTANT BUSES driving around most afternoons and nights that will help you get around. Bikes are a wanted commodity- even a guy sets up in the village down the highway and sells used bikes pretty cheap- he then will pick them up from you as you leave if you want to give it to him. There are also a couple bike repair spots in BM itself where they will try to keep your rolling.

Busses are CRAZY! People on top partying like it was 1999! Music Blaring-Booze Flowing!

Jus think of it this way you go through the gate and you can act like you are 5 years old again! (*but can drink) CREATE your own name, ride bikes around, sleep till you want too, stay up as late as you want too, eat junk food if you want (just control your trash), learn how to live with little water, run behind a water truck and get sprayed down (trucks used on roads to keep dust down).

Now there are Federal Marshals, local Sherriffs Dept, and even medivac on site along with the Burning Man Rangers who pretty much keep the peace. I actually only heard of a couple incidents from idiots taking too much of the wrong things being taken care of at the medical tents (the docs and nurses are volunteers but the real things).

There is even a BM Post Office to where you can mail letters to others in Black Rock City (free) or have a BRC cancellation for mail to the real world.

When you enter the gates you leave the Real World outside and don't even try to see what is going on out there. They did break the rules last year when Katrina hit and actually raised several thousand dollars along with medical supplies, food, heavy equipment and other items that were mostly taken to Mississippi where ground zero was. Some groups actually stayed in Mississippi for over 2 months helping them. There were people also from New Orleans and Mississippi that were at the Burn at the time and people from Texas and elsewhere along the coast offered them up housing until they could get to their homes. Several people had sattelite phones that they let these people use to find out what was going on and Media Mecca was posting reports and photos as they were being reported.

This area is a high desert at around 3,000+ ft elevation, evenings can get COLD upper40's, days hot 90's.

Also WILD CLOTHES ARE WELCOME! part of dressing up that 5 year olds like to do.

If a guy wants to wear a wedding dress it is COOL!

ALso people do get married out there, saw several ceremonies performed (a couple same sex which didn't have a license but they had the full ceremony).

[David]

Thanks for posting this Paul. You can count me in. I am glad you posted this since we talked about it in detail at the POTUS protest.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Hey it would be a great idea and it is defenitely a killer photo shoot, just have to figure out how to rent a generator in Nevada for over a week and then the other incidentals.

The whole thing can be a great time and if we actually can get a theme camp organized we will be advertised on the BM site for all the people visiting the site or BM itself.

I know that I talked to several pros out there, most were from LA or NY but even one was from London and this could lead to networking/connections. A lot can happen in 9+ days.

[HOUSCOUS]

That's tooooo far far away!! if anyone decide to burn stuff in their backyard, please invite us?